Main menu

You are here

BLOG: This week's best press release

Tom Jackson

Jun 25, 2012

Newspapers are constantly flooded with press releases and story idea pitches. It's impossible for us to cover them all.

When I was in journalism school — this would have been a few years ago — I was taught the concept of "gatekeepers." These are the folks at the paper who decide what not to print in a newspaper's limited space.

Did you ever wonder what kind of news the pitiless gatekeepers at the Sandusky Register keep you from knowing about?

Here are the first few paragraphs, word for word, from an email I received last week at my newspaper email account. It's from a woman named Jennifer Gwynn:

I am the Public Relations Manager of SeekingArrangement.com, the world’s largestSugar Daddy dating website. Since this is an election year, we decided to conduct a state-by-state poll, asking over 30,000 female voters on our website which of the two Presidential Candidates they would rather have as their Sugar Daddy, and why.

Even though Romney is 20 times wealthier than Obama, Obama beat Romney by 3 to 1, winning the hearts of women in all swing states and most Republican strongholds. Women who chose Obama over Romney say he is more personable, trustworthy and sexy. While some may discount our poll results, it may hold clues as to what Romney must do to change his “vanilla” image in order to win over the hearts of minds of voters, and more specifically female voters, this November.

In Ohio, Obama beat Romney 29.8% to 10.6%. However, 46.4% of women in Ohio said they do not want either Romney or Obama as their sugar daddy.

In case you are interested in covering this story, I have attached a copy of our press release for your reference.

I'm afraid I wasn't interested in covering the story.

Comments

The Big Dog's back

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 5:35pm

Obama, smooth as silk, cool as a cucumber.

Don Lee

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 6:01pm

"I'm afraid I wasn't interested in covering the story."

Well, dang, Tom ... you just did.

allrhetoricanyway

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 10:29pm

So without words on this one except...ditto @ Don Lee....Seriously....and you even brought up journalism 101???

Pete

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 6:09pm

Obama, sharp as a bowling ball, smart as a turnip

G_Richardson

Mon, 06/25/2012 - 7:05pm

. "Women who chose Obama over Romney say he is more personable, trustworthy and sexy." This is the reason he won last time. Its a popularity contest for Idiots. Even going so far as to admitting their stupidity for voting for a canidate based on "Sexyness" And we wonder why our country has went to h*ll.

wiredmama222

Tue, 06/26/2012 - 12:33am

If we have to vote on LOOKS .....I want George Clooney

Captain Gutz

Tue, 06/26/2012 - 6:28am

"...clues as to what Romney must do to change his “vanilla” image ..."

It's fairly obvious, Romney needs a "chocolate" image.

Contango

Tue, 06/26/2012 - 6:58am

@ Mr. Jackson:

According to their website, SA.com has been covered by a number of media outlets.

Your excuse for not covering them reads like an inference not a reason.

@Contango, you should actually click on the links where they "suggest" they have been covered by numerous "media outlets". Every link leads to the same website where you can submit your own press release. These types of free press release sites are all over the web and simply help you gain back links to your site.

SA simply writes a press release and submits it to this website under a free account. If you know anything about the web, you would know this. Hell, if you even bothered to click on a few links you would have figured that one out :/

They have not been "covered" by a single, reputable media outlet or news source.